Just Picked Up A 1958 Red Book

That's a good price you paid,in fine condition it's worth $10.00 and in VF it's $ 15.00.
John1

Thank you!

With an old RedBook and and online Inflation Calculator, such as:
http://www.westegg.com/inflation/, you can easily figure the book's coin values in today's dollars.

I got a 1966 RedBook just for this purpose. I was a bit surprised that many common Mercury dimes (for example) have actually lost value since 1966, when adjusted for inflation. Not the 1916-D, all grades have at least doubled in their inflation-adjusted value since 1966. This means that common Mercurys are a bargain compared to their 1966 prices.

$35 in 1958 is about $250 in today's money, so that G4 1916-D would have been a nice investment to keep for 50 years!

BTW: The 1966 RedBook shows the Uncirc. 1909 S-VDB Cent at $350 (1966 Dollars), which is about $2200 in today's Dollars....

When you do the inflation adjustments, you can see what coins have really appreciated in value since the old Red Book, versus what just held steady with the rate of inflation. (or even some that lost value, by that measure!)

So if you went back to 1958 or 1966 to tell your grandfather what to buy and hold onto as family heirlooms, your 'choice investments' might be a little surprising.

The Uncirc. 1909 S-VBD Cent was already costly by 1958, and its inflation-adjusted value is 'about the same' 50 years later (for an MS 60 example). Compare to the G-4 1916-D Mercury dime, which quintupled in inflation-adjusted value in 50 years! Gramps could have bought you seven of those G-4 1916-D Mercs for the same money as the one MS 1909 S-VDB!

**********************************************************************

Which Morgan do you tell Grandpa to get in 1966?

1889-CC VF-20, $80 in 1966. $500 in today's money! Now worth $1700 (PCGS), so it 'tripled+'. Not bad, eh?

So you go back to 1966 and tell Gramps not to buy that new Chevy, buy an Uncirculated 1893-S instead! It's a whopping $4500 in 1966 (new car money!), $28,500 in today's dough! Even in 1966, it takes 'serious coin' to buy that serious coin! Now that MS-60 1893-S is listed in PCGS for a whopping $97,500. Again, a 'triple+' appreciation in inflation-adjusted value.

Oh, but wait: the 'humble' 1878-CC. A mere $3.50 in VF in the 1966 RedBook. Just $22 in today's money! Now worth $125 (VF-20 PCGS), so it 'quintupled+'! The 1878-CC left those big key dates in the dust in terms of inflation-adjusted appreciation!

**********************************************************************

I was still surprised that many common date Mercury dimes have lost inflation-adjusted value since 1966 , given their increasing age and the big silver coin meltdown in 1980. This makes me think that they're undervalued at the present time, and might be a good bet for long-term appreciation (a design change for the Dime in the future would greatly increase interest in Mercurys!).

Carl:
I'm glad to hear that you are collecting the old Guide Books!

I have heard about them being found in strange places, garage sales, etc.

Good luck.
Dave:
Nice purchase!

I love looking for old coin books. I hit the used book stores about once a month. Every now and again I get lucky and find one. I picked these up at a flea market about 2 months ago for ten dollars.

1960

1964 Bluebook

Southern Yankee:
Nice books.